Mark Jackson says Warriors will make 2012 playoffs

New Warriors coach Mark Jackson won’t be introduced to the Bay Area media until a Friday news conference, but he made the interview rounds before Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

Here’s a transcript of his pregame meeting with reporters in Dallas:

What is the significance of hiring Michael Malone as your lead assistant? “Well, first and foremost, it’s a great day. Getting to Michael Malone, he’s a guy I’ve known for quite some time. They gave me the opportunity to establish my own staff. He’s the guy I’ve targeted throughout the course of, not just this process, but when I’ve interviewed before, we had an understanding that I would come after him. So it is truly a great day in Warriorland to get a guy like Mike Malone. Because I have tremendous respect for his passion, his knowledge, his commitment and he’s an extremely loyal guy. So it’s a big time hire for us.”

What do you expect in the transition going from the TV booth to coaching? “There have been a lot of coaches that I know personally, as far as friendships and relationships, and then just in the process of interviewing coaches throughout the course of my years as far as an announcer. Everybody knew what I wanted to do. They’ve been extremely nice to me. Whether you talk about these two coaches here, texting me in the middle of a championship series basically saying congratulations and how much they appreciate and was pulling for me. It means so much to me. So I got a lot of coaches, as far as ones that have helped me, even the ones that have coached me in the past. Walking through the hallway during The Finals in the previous game, Pat Riley, who is a legendary Hall of Fame coach and a brilliant basketball mind, told me it’s my time. And it’s only because he experienced me as a player and I experienced him as a coach. Just great minds have really helped form who I am today as a basketball man.”

What was your meeting like with Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob? “Being a New York City guy, you get the idea as soon as you meet somebody whether it’s on or it’s off. Right away, as soon as we met, just an incredible, incredible guy, passionate, committed, loyal, focused, determined, and willing to spend. Willing to do whatever it takes to win. Right away we were really feeling the things that each of us were saying. We enjoyed one another’s company and we left with a smile and almost a look as if to say, I’m going to see you again. But it was really whether I got the job or not, I was totally committed and knew right away that this team was going to be successful. And then today talking to Mr. (Peter) Guber, as far as understanding his excitement level with the hire and how he signed on and how excited he was about it. It’s a great day for me. I’m truly thrilled, honored and blessed, and I look forward to the next challenge in my life.”

Will you stop the Warriors’ uptempo style? “Absolutely not. We will push the basketball. We will look to make plays in transition. We will not just push it just to be pushing it. We’ll have a mindset to take care of the basketball, to get quality looks. But those looks are going to be earned on the defensive end. You’re not going to have a license to shoot when you’re not getting it done on the other end. They will be held accountable and there will be a price to pay. I’ve come to the mindset that the only way to win in this league and win big is defensively. So we will be committed on the defensive side of the ball.”

Jerry West said in a recent interview that he thought the Warriors weren’t far away. What are your thoughts? “I agree. When you look at that talent level, this is certainly a team that’s more than capable of making the playoffs and making a run. No problem on the offensive end. Can score the basketball. Certainly got to get better with the ability to score on the low block where teams get quality points and easy points. But that’s going to come. But the main thing is the culture has to change. Continue to play solid basketball. You have to be a successful team at home, take care of your business and then compete on the road. Inexcusable not to compete on the road. There are things that will no longer be tolerated. I’m excited about changing the culture in the Bay land.”

What are the pros and cons of a backcourt with Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry? I don’t see any cons, other than size. And I don’t think that really makes a difference. I will play lawyer right now and point to Exhibit A with J.J. Barea starting in the NBA Finals. I would certainly say that the Warriors’ back court is bigger than the starting back court of the Dallas Mavericks tonight. I think that’s an excuse. The bottom line, do you have the heart, the will and the desire and the determination to go out and get it done by any means necessary? And I truly believe that you got to make the commitment and find a way to get it done. And that’s part of changing the culture. We will find out who is willing to win, who really wants to win, or who is just going through the motions saying it.”

What will your involvement be with the draft? “I will be very involved. One thing during the interview process and our sitdowns across the board, I will have a say so. Because at the end of the day, this will be Mark Jackson can’t coach or Mark Jackson can coach. I want to be involved. I respect the fact that these guys have done their due diligence. I respect the fact that these guys have paid years of watching college players, high school players, and I’m going to respect their opinion. But at the same time, I’m a fan of the game. And I’m fully aware of these guys’ pros and cons, their strengths and their weaknesses. And I love the idea of all of the guys that’s involved in this organization getting into a bunker and coming out united with the pick, a free agent, a draft choice, a style and going after it.”

How do you change the culture of a franchise? “That’s a tough step, but I don’t believe in luck. I believe in you prepare yourself for the moment. Through habits formed every single day, all of a sudden you stumble into a playoff round. You stumble into second round and third round. You stumble into a championship. No such thing as luck. Talent and work ethic will put you in the position to win. So ultimately the culture changes with great leadership. I’ve been a leader my entire life and I’m not a guy that’s going to accept anything other than a total commitment from everybody that puts on a Warrior jersey and everybody that’s committed in this organization.”

How much does a lack of size play into it when you look ahead to the future? “I’d love to have size. I would be sitting here lying to you if I said that size does not matter. It certainly matters. But once again, I’ll play lawyer, Exhibit A, Tyson Chandler, Brendan Haywood, everybody else is minimum size. So no more excuses. Find a way to go out there and get it done by any means necessary. We will not tolerate excuses. We have a great rebounder in David Lee, one of the best in the business. We have guards with tremendous athletic ability on the offensive end, which tells me you can go get some rebounds. Collectively we will find a way to get it done.”

What do you think the biggest challenge is for you in terms of this being your first coaching job beyond the X’s and O’s of getting acclimated to running an NBA franchise that’s been a loser for quite some time? “This is new to me. I would be the first to tell you I don’t know everything. I’m smart enough to know that I don’t know everything. I’m smart enough to be secure enough to put people around me that can put me in position to be effective and to get the job done. I’m an outstanding listener. My assistant coaches will have a great voice. I’m not a guy that’s going to put a muzzle on them. I expect them to lead. I expect them to coach, and I expect them to be an extension of me. It’s going to be a good time. And there’s not going to be any excuses from the coach on down.”

What’s the process now of hiring assistant coaches? “For those of you who do not know, I believe we can make the announcement, the first hire was made: Mike Malone is the lead assistant. So we took care of that business. Like I said already, extremely thrilled to have him on board. I will continue to go through the process of talking to the proper people. I don’t want to identify anybody, because with all due respect, some guys are working with different teams. People that I have a relationship with. People that I know, people that I respect and admire. I want to bring them on board. We’re going to look to put together a great, great staff of basketball minds.”

What’s the biggest challenge of not having coached before? “I think some would say I’m naive, but I don’t think that’s a big deal. I’ve been a leader my entire life. Every team I ever played for, I was a leader. I was really an extension of the coach on the floor. And I know that’s a cliche, but it really was in in my position. I was a guy that no coach ever told me what set to run offensively. I ran the set, and they trusted in my ability to make reads and make calls. I don’t think it’s going to be an issue. It’s going to be an issue because I’ve never been put in the position to have to organize things every single day, day in and day out. But ultimately as a challenge, and I’ve conquered every challenge in front of me with the help of the good Lord, and I look forward to this one.”

Will you have a defensive coordinator? “I will be the voice. I think that’s important to have a leader. But we’ll have people that specialize. I would be a fool to sit and tell you that Mike Malone won’t have anything to do with the defense. In my mind he’s done an outstanding job and his record speaks for itself. I will give him an opportunity to teach defense and to speak on behalf of the staff defensive mentalities, defensive principles. I’m putting myself in the position to be successful by allowing those who have certain expertise to flourish. Because Mike Malone and anybody else that I hire will have ‘head coach’ written all over them. They will be head coach material, whether they’ve been a head coach or not. I am hiring the best in the business, in my opinion.”

Based on kind of what you’re saying about what you expect from your team, do you expect the Warriors to be a playoff team next year? “Absolutely. I fully expect, put it in bold letters, the Golden State Warriors to be a playoff team next year. If I did not expect that, I would not have taken the job. And I won’t minimize it with just being a playoff team. We are looking to turn the Bay Area upside down.”